OUR CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL BUDGET.

Otago Witness, Issue 1893, 2 March 1888, Page 8

OUR CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL BUDGET.

(From Our Special Agricultural Correspondent.) Christciiurcii, February 25.

The Harvest-

The harvest has been got through this year without much interruption, the longest halts having been caused by high winds, and veiy little rain having fallen. The nor'-westers prevailed almcst continuously from the beginning of December until about three weeks ago, when a terrific hailstorm swept up the country along the base of the hills from the the Eangitata Gorge, by Malvern and Sheffield, across to Oxford, and last and finally lost itself— or what was left of it— in the sea at Amberley. An estimate formed by a good authority a few days after the storm set the damage down at £75,000, and though an attempt was made to cast ridicule on this calculation subsequent information has substantiated its correctness. Where the grain was nearly ripe it was completely threshed out, and where it was green the heads were stripped off and the straw beaten down and so twisted that it was impossible to reap it by ordinary methods, even if it were worth reaping, which it was not. Some farmers have actually determined to put the firestick into the damaged corn and return it to the earth as a fertiliser as the least unprofitable way of dealing with it. Since this storm several minor hailstorms have been experienced, but fortunately they were only local. The nor'-westers were often so high that machines had to be stopped, and some loss was occasioned by the over-ripe grain being shaken out, but the amount of damage from this cause was probably not more than 2 per cent, of the total estimated yield of the province.

Most of the wheat is now cut, the standing crop being found only in late localities and far south. Stacking is the general practice, although threshing from the stook is still resorted to. The grain is exceptionally dry, and some of the samples shewn are in capital order, though there is no doubt they would not have proved unsusceptible to improvement had they been stacked for a time. Prices are low, '2s 6d to 2s 9d f.o.b. Lyttelton being the quotation for wheat. Oats sell at Is 6d to Is 7d. Barley is in good request at 4s to 4s 3d for prime malting samples. Kyegrass seed is still in the hands of the growers and cleaners. Cocksfoot fetches 3£d for good samples, with a shade more for extra heavr.

Farmers whose crops have escaped serious damage by wind or hail appear fairly contented with their lot, although the prices current will not give much profit. It may therefore be concluded that the estimate I sent you a month ago will be upheld among this section of the graingrowers, which, fortunately, is far more numerous than that which is composed of those whose crops were badly depreciated. Dairy Produce. Prices of butter and cheese continue very low, yet on a visit which I paid a few days ago to one of the principal dairying centres (Ellesmere), I found that those who were not burdened with heavy rents or interest could make both ends meet. To this result the plentitude of feed has contributed greatly. Cows have not only had plenty of grass all the summer but very ample stocks of hay have been saved for the winter. Hay will be valuable next winter, as root crops have done very badly. The necessity for shipment of cheese and butter to England as the only outlet in the present overstocked state of the intercolonial markets, and the severe [ strictures on the irregularity of quality and size of the cheese and general inferiority of the butter, have caused some desire for the establishment of dairy factories in some of the districts where dairying is the branch of farming almost exclusively followed. Farmers do not like the idea of being deprived of their skim milk, and the explanation of the working of the creaming system, as followed by the Auckland Freezing Co., overcame one of the most serious difficulties in the way of establishing I a factory. I understand that there is no | difficulty as to capital, an enterprising Christchurch merchant — there is such a being, though some of your Dunedin magnates may smile at the idea— being willing to build and I equip a factory, either proprietary or cooperative, wherever a supply of milk will be guaranteed. At 3d to 4d for good to primest Cheddar, and 4d to 5d for good export butter, there is plenty of room for any enteri prise which will lead to improvement in the value of this great industry. Cheese shipped to London has brought 30s to 40s for inferior,

and up to 60s for exceptionally good. Butter brought 40s to 120s per cwfc, the latter figure being for a " select dairy." liiye Stock, 1 Prices of fat sheep and cattle have ruled very low, but supplies having slackened, a firmer tone now characterises the market. Prime beef is worth 15s to 16s; crossbred mutton, l£d per lb ; secondary and merino, Id to l|d." There is little freezing demand, and the improvement in the tallow market has made the prices of old ewes compare favourably with those obtained for prime wethers. Store sheep and cattle sell relatively better than fat. Pigs still fetch extraordinary prices, good forward stores for topping off with grain brought as high as 40s each this week. Nothing is doing in the horse market. Wool. The season is now nearly at an end. No public sales have been held in Christchurch since the relapse in London was cabled ; but at Timaru on Wednesday there was very little notice taken by buyers of the fall. Sales have been very satisfactory to sellers this season, and unless the recent adverse movement at Home is recovered it is difficult to see how buyers can avoid substantial loss. Tlie Californian Thistle. Mr Murphy's remarks on the danger of allowing this weed to spread were well timed, but he brought no radical cure back from Tasmania with him. Persistent hoeing down seems to be the only remedy known in Tasmania. A North Canterbury farmer has tried the salt cure with great success. He first cut the thistles closely down and then dredged the area which they had taken possession of with bacon curers' waste salt. The result was the extinction of all vegetation, but there is no fear that the ground has been rendered more than temporarily barren. The thistle has been found growing in the very streets of Christchurch, and it cannot be too deeply impressed upon land-holders that they must watch for the first appearance of this enemy, and not wait until it has made its presence conspicious if they would escape future trouble and loss. Itabliits. The Arauri and Madborough sheepfarmers are pursuing the course they have laid down for dealing with the rabbits. The fences are being pushed on, and stoats and weasles are arriving almost monthly from England. Besides the imported vermin numbers of cats are being bought for turning out on runs in the Amuri and the Kaikoura. The accuracy of the statement of a recent correspondent to the Witness to the effect that ferrets had exterminated the rabbits in Spain has been questioned here. Mr Walker, M.H.K., points out to me that domestic cats cleared the Balcarie Islands of rabbits, and this may be the historical fact that the Witness correspondent alludes to. It would certainly be of interest to rabbit-plagued runholders to have the efficacy of the ferret remedy substantiated. The Melbourne Exhibition. Independent of the course the Industrial Association may resolve upon with regard to the representation of their members at the great Melbourne show, the independent exhibitors of Canterbury will be represented whatever the pickings on this side in the shape of Government grants for expenses, &c, maybe. From inquiries made, I believe that Messrs John Deans, James Eowe, George King, G. G. Stead, W. Boag, the Flemington Cheese Factory, Andrews and Beaven, Booth, M'Donald, and" Co., P. and D. Duncan, J. T. Matson, Miles and Co., and a strong contingent of our woolgrowers, brewers, &c. will send exhibits.